Bethel removes 'acting' football coach tag with Bubba Hooker

At this stage of the game, Bubba Hooker had no interest in being a head coach again. They're the ones who must deal with the pressure and upset parents. Assistants can stand in the shadows.

But events worked out that way. And on Thursday, six weeks after

Jeff Nelson

resigned because of health issues, Hooker was announced as Bethel's head football coach.

"Head coaching isn't all it's cracked up to be," he said. "But I'm excited about it and looking forward to it."

Actually, Hooker was the Bruins' acting head coach last fall as Nelson helped out from a golf cart while recovering from a leg injury. Six weeks after Nelson announced his resignation, Bethel simply removed he "acting" label from Hooker's title.

Hooker coached the Bruins to a 7-4 record last season, which ended with a loss to Oscar Smith in the Eastern Region Division 6 quarterfinals. A 41-year veteran in the coaching profession, Hooker was one of Nelson's first hires when he got the job in 2007.

Nelson was injured in a sideline accident near the end of the 2010 season. Unable to resume his coaching duties last fall, Nelson became the director of football operations while Hooker was the acting head coach.

"Jeff re-established the program here," Hooker said. "Coach (Bolen) Shupe got it started, and certainly Coach Koz (Dennis Kozlowski) got it established with three state championships. There were some down years, but Jeff did an excellent job of re-establishing it.

"Hopefully we can maintain that and challenge Phoebus, Hampton and Woodside for the district championship."

Hooker has been in the coaching profession at various levels for four decades. He was head coach at Lafayette from 1990-93, where his teams went 3-37. He was also the head coach at Essex.

Hooker, 64, has hired former Phoebus assistant Ron Johnson as his offensive coordinator. Bernie West, the JV coach last season, will be the defensive coordinator. The rest of his staff will include David Porter, Tim West, Roy Johnson, Mike Lawson, James Shover, Kelly Lawrence,

Mike Clark

and his son, Dorsey.

Today's Headlines Newsletter

Delivered weekdays

A digest of essential news, insight and analysis from L.A. Times editors.